Prioritising employee engagement

I have been advocating for some time now that organisations should prioritise employee engagement as part of their wider business strategy. This topic will continue to gain more traction over the next twelve months as business leaders seek to address performance challenges within the workplace. 

Why is it so important?

Well it has been proven, time and again, that emphasis in this area helps to retain talent, increase productivity and drive performance. Not forgetting, the personal wellbeing and work satisfaction enjoyed by the employees too.

So, I’m delighted to see that the recent Engage for Success UK Employee Engagement Survey 2025 aligns with my longstanding view.

It states that ‘when leaders prioritise people, engagement becomes a competitive advantage.’

Key findings within the survey include:

• When individuals feel genuinely engaged in their work, they are more motivated, more resilient, and more likely to contribute to organisational and team performance.

• Engagement is not experienced equally by all employees. Significant disparities remain across different groups.

• When senior leaders and line managers sufficiently prioritise people in their strategic and day-to-day decision-making, employee engagement rises significantly, well above the national average. 

• The role of line managers is crucial. Their data shows that while line managers report higher engagement than non-managers, not all of them have a positive experience at work.

• Line managers are often underprepared, with one-third receiving no training, and when training is offered, it is usually after taking on the role. This represents a systematic gap.

• Engagement is strongly linked to performance, innovation, retention, and wellbeing. Crucially, it also serves as a protective factor – buffering individuals and organisations against periods of stress and economic instability. 

• Organisations that actively support their employees can mitigate negative work experiences. When individuals feel supported at work, their engagement levels align with those without these challenges, which is good for all. 

• Variations are evident across people with long-term health conditions, neurodivergence, and protected characteristics who consistently report lower engagement, higher unmanageable job stress, and a stronger intention to leave their jobs.

To review the full findings and recommendations, check out the Engage for Success UK Employee Engagement Survey 2025 online.